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Funded training
TechFirst

Funded by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sports (DCMS).
Part of the TechFirst programme.

Fully funded AI training for your team, plus £2,000 to make it work

AI is already changing how businesses work. Having access to AI tools is one thing but building the skills and capability to use them effectively across the business is another.

TechFirst Local gives employers a fully funded route to building AI and digital capability. You can either develop an existing employee into an AI-enabled role or create a new role and recruit a trained graduate from one of our AI Literacy for Business or Digital Innovation courses.

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How it works for a business

We help businesses build practical AI and digital capability in two ways: by upskilling an existing team member into an AI Champion or AI-enabled role, or by helping you create a new role and recruit a trained graduate. Here's how it works:

  1. AI & Digital Business Review

    Talk to us about your business, your current use of digital technology and where you see opportunities to improve. We'll help you identify where AI and digital innovation could make the biggest difference, and whether upskilling an existing employee or recruiting a new team member is the right route for your business.

  2. Upskilling an existing employee

    If you choose to develop someone already in your team, they'll join one of our fully funded AI Literacy for Business or Digital Innovation courses. They'll develop practical skills in the latest AI and digital technologies, applying their learning to real challenges and opportunities within your business. This helps you build AI capability from within, while giving an existing employee the skills and responsibilities to contribute in a new or expanded role.

  3. Create a new role and recruit a trained graduate

    If you're looking to bring new capability into your business, we can help you shape an AI-enabled role and recruit a graduate from one of our courses. We'll help match your business needs with graduates who have the right skills and interests for the role. AI-enabled roles can be created across almost any area of your business, including administration, marketing, sales, finance, operations and analytics. They don't need to be traditional IT roles.

  4. £2,000 implementation fund

    Once your employee or new team member is in role, there is up to £2,000 of funding available to support implementation. This can help with eligible costs such as hardware, software, licences and onboarding, helping your business put new AI and digital capability into practice.

Developing a new role to secure government funding

TechFirst Local is designed to create genuine business impact through the practical implementation of AI and digital technology. To qualify, a new role must meet the following:

  • 25 hours a week minimum

    Contracted for a minimum of 25 hours per week.

  • Six months or more

    Permanent or fixed-term for six months or more.

  • A genuine role

    A real role that delivers value to the business.

  • Not a placement

    Not a placement, internship or work experience opportunity.

  • AI in the day-to-day

    Includes the use of AI or digital technology as part of the employee's day-to-day responsibilities.

The role can be at any level and in almost any area of the business, from administration, marketing and sales to finance, operations and analytics.

If you are upskilling an existing employee, the same principles apply. You'll need to provide written confirmation of the new or expanded responsibilities they have taken on as part of their role.

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What your business gains

Working in collaboration with the government-funded initiative, TechFirst Local can help your business:

  • Improve productivity. Reduce repetitive administration and help your team use AI tools more effectively.
  • Build internal AI capability. Develop someone who can identify practical opportunities to use AI across your business.
  • Make better use of data. Give your team greater confidence using data and digital tools to support decision-making.
  • Strengthen project capability. Develop the skills and capacity to introduce new digital tools and ways of working.
  • Support business growth. Build the digital capability you need to adapt, innovate and remain competitive.

Why register today?

AI and digital capability is rapidly becoming a competitive requirement for businesses. TechFirst Local gives you an opportunity to start building that capability, with government funding available to support training and implementation.

  • Build the skills your business needs for the future

  • Reduce the cost of training and developing your people

  • Create a new AI-enabled role without starting from scratch

  • Put new skills into practice with up to £2,000 implementation funding

  • Build internal expertise ahead of your competitors

  • Places are limited

Register your business interest
A student working at a laptop, taking their first steps into tech

How it works for a learner

Looking for training yourself? TechFirst Local also provides fully funded online training in AI and Digital Innovation for individuals looking to develop their skills and improve their employment prospects.

This includes people returning to work after a career break, graduates working in a role outside their degree specialism and people who have been made redundant.

We'll work with you to understand your ambitions and goals, helping to match your existing skills and experience with the right training and future opportunities.

What you'll gain

  1. Fully funded training in AI and digital innovation

  2. Workplace-ready skills that can strengthen your CV and career prospects

  3. Three months of structured mentoring once your role has started

  4. Skills aligned with current workforce needs, with a focus on AI and digital innovation

Already in a job? You may be eligible too. Talk to your employer about the benefits of developing your AI and digital skills within your current role. Your employer may also be able to access up to £2,000 towards implementation costs, so it's worth starting the conversation.

You'll need to live in one of the funded areas, have the right to work in the UK and have a current CV.

I'm looking for training

TechFirst Local funded courses

Fully funded courses are currently available in the following areas:

  • A view over Reading and the River Thames, Berkshire.
    Digital Innovator, 10 weeksBerkshire

    Frontier technologies include project management, AI tools and prompting, data and visualisation, finishing on a collaborative project. £2,000 per person, administered by The Skills and Business Hub.

    Available for businesses in Reading, West Berkshire, Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, Slough, and Windsor and Maidenhead.

  • Norwich city skyline with the cathedral spire, Norfolk.
    AI Literacy for Business, 9 weeksNorfolk, Suffolk and Essex

    Students will learn AI and language model fundamentals, prompt engineering, ethics and legal compliance, data analysis, and practical AI integration in a business. The £2,000 per person is administered by Tech Educators, and must cover an implementation consultant provided by Tech Educators and costs towards implementation support, software and licences.

    Delivered in partnership with Connected Innovation

  • Hull Marina at dusk, East Yorkshire.
    AI Literacy and Cyber AwarenessHull and East Yorkshire

    An immersive employer led programme bringing AI literacy and Cyber Security essentials together under one programme. This programme is currently full and no longer accepting applications.

Register your interest

Tell us who you are and where you are based, and a member of our team will get back to you to talk through the next step. It is a conversation, not a commitment.

AI training for business, your questions answered